Elliott Carter, the celebrated composer who fearlessly forged his own brand of American music for nearly eight decades until he died last month, would have turned 104 years old today. After his death, we began reaching out to musicians who both knew him and had special relationships with his work. Immediately, it was obvious just what a profound impact Carter had on the musicians he met. Many used words like "life changing" to describe Carter the man and the revelatory effects of his sometimes thorny, sometimes serene music. Here are a few testimonials to and remembrances of Carter and his music.

Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.